Nature has always been my strongest confidant. It was and is always there for me. It meets my need to see beauty and seek solitude. Nature teaches me simplicity and contentment. When I am in the presence of nature I realize I need very little to be happy. All that I need is at my fingertips.
My senses are naturally more alive when I am in the outdoors. The rustle of leaves or the rapid flight of birds indicates the presence of another creature. Hiking helps me to understand that all life is interwoven and that I am but one small part of this complex world in which we live.
Hiking is similar in many ways to my meditation training. Meditation and nature combine to provide me with the tools to steady my mind so I can be open to receive the jewels of nature. Meditation and hiking teach me to keep an open mind and to learn how to work skillfully with my thoughts and emotions that otherwise interfere with simply being able to rest wherever I am, with full presence.
Namaste.
Chris
